Three designations are recognized: Comprehensive Cancer Centers, Cancer Centers, and Basic Laboratory Cancer Centers. As of 2015, there are 45 Comprehensive Cancer Centers, 17 Cancer Centers, and 7 Basic Laboratory Cancer Centers. Receiving the NCI-designation places cancer centers among the top 4 percent of the approximately 1500 cancer centers in the United States.

The standards for Comprehensive Cancer Centers are the more restrictive of the two types. These facilities must demonstrate expertise in each of three areas: laboratory, clinical, and behavioral and population-based research. Comprehensive Cancer Centers are expected to initiate and conduct early phase, innovative clinical trials and to participate in the NCI's cooperative groups by providing leadership and recruiting patients for trials. Comprehensive Cancer Centers must also conduct activities in outreach and education, and provide information on advances in healthcare for both healthcare professionals and the public.

Cancer Centers generally conduct a combination of basic, population sciences, and clinical research, and are encouraged to stimulate collaborative research involving more than one field of study. Several of these centers conduct only laboratory research and do not provide patient care.

Basic Laboratory Cancer Centers conduct only laboratory research and do not provide patient treatment.